Condensation vaporizer for heater



April 2, 1963 w. F. HARKEMA CONDENSATION VAPORIZER FOR HEATER Filed Aug. 21, 1959 Fig] Walter E Har/rema INVENTOR. 40%

A... BY gin 0.4

3,083,703 CONDENSA'IIGN VAEGRTZER FOR HEATER Walter F. Harkema, New Sharon, Iowa Filed Aug. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 835,334 4 Claims. (Qi. 126-85) This invention relates generally to heating equipment and more particularly to means for conveniently vaporizing condensed moisture in heater casings to remove the moisture therefrom.

Often, when gas heaters are utilized, moisture or condensation will collect on the walls of the heater casing when the heater is lit in cold weather. Generally, the moisture will run down the inside of the casing into the area of the burner so as to impair its efiiciency and usefulness.

In view of this, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a condensation ring for utilization in heating systems making use of a burner positioned in a cylindrical heat chamber in a manner such that the condensation ring collects the moisture from the cylindrical wall before it runs into the burner location, and carries it to a point proximate the burner so that it may be vaporized and passed out through an exhaust vent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a condensation ring supported on a cylindrical wall in a heat chamber above the burner with the ring including a rim having a U-shaped cross-section to form a trough for collecting moisture drippings therein, and a plurality of radial channels extending toward the center with a cup being secured at the center, connected to the ring, immediately above the burner. Therefore, the collected moisture will be easily vaporized and passed out through an exhaust vent communicating with the heat chamber.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide means for utilization in a heating system which improves the efliciency thereof by reducing the collected moisture on the heat chamber walls so as to prevent the deleterious effects thereof. Further, since the condensation ring is extremely simple in construction, the cost associated with the invention is nominal.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

' FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partially broken away, illustrating a representative view of a simplified heating system utilizing the teachings of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

With continuing reference to the drawings, numeral 18 generally represents a simplified heating system in which the invention comprising the condensation ring 12 may be utilized.

For explanation purposes, the heating system includes a cylindrical wall 14 defining a heat chamber 16 therein. A circular cap 18 closes the cylindrical wall at the upper end while the wall 14 rests on a base 2% at its lower end. An exhaust vent 22 communicates with the heat chamber 16 at the upper end thereof and exhaust caps 24 are carried by the exhaust vent pipe. An air intake tube 26 communicates with the heating chamber 16 at a lower part thereof, and an intake cap 28 is provided at the free end of the intake tube 26. A gas tube 30 having a valve 32 interposed therein extends through the wall 14 to a burner 34 set on the base 21? and positioned along the central axis of the cylindrical wall 14. A stem 36 is dependingly supported from the cap 18 and a trans- 3,83,703 Patented Apr. 2, 19:33

verse baffle 38 is formed integral therewith. The bafile, of course, serves the function of directing the heated air within the heat chamber 16 along the cylindrical wall 14 so that an efiicient heat exchange is established between the air and wall 14. A plurality of projections, as at 40, are secured to the wall 14 on the inner surface thereof. The projections 40 project radially inwardly and are all aligned along the same horizontal plane. Supported on the projections 40 is the condensation ring 12 forming the novel portion of the invention. The condensation ring 12 includes a rim 42 having a U-shaped cross-section so as to form a trough, as is particularly shown in FIGURE 1, including legs 44 and 46 and a bight portion 48. The rim 42 is circular and rests On the projections 40. Radially extending channels 50, 52, and 54 communicate with the rim 42. A cup 56 is carried by the channels 50, 52 and 54 along the central axis of the rim 42, coincident with the central axis of the cylindrical wall 14. It will be noted that each of the channels 50, 52 and 54 slopes gradually from the rim 42 toward the cup 56.

In the utilization of the invention, the condensation ring 12 is supported on the projections 40 within the heat chamber 16 as illustrated. When the heater 34 is lit in cold weather, condensation will collect on the inner surface of the wall 14. Of course, the condensation or moisture will tend to run down the sides of the wall 14 and, therefore, Will enter the U-shaped collection rim 42 on the condensation ring 12. The moisture collecting between the legs 44 and 46 on the bight portion 48 will then flow into the cup 56 since the radially extending channels 5% 52 and 54 slope from the rim toward the cup. Since the cup 56 is positioned directly over the burner 34, the moisture which collects in the cup 56 will be vaporized by the burner 34. The vapor will then pass out through the exhaust vent 22. Therefore, it will be apparent that the deleterious rusting effects which may be caused by the collected moisture, if allowed to drip into the area of the burner 34, are eliminated. Since the sectors between the radially extending channels are removed so that the condensation ring 12 is effectively a spider, the heat distribution throughout the heat chamber 16 is not adversely affected.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a heater, the combination of a housing defining a heating chamber and including a perimetric side Wall and upper and lower ends, a burner positioned centrally in the lower end portion of said housing, the lower end portion of the housing being provided with an air inlet for said burner and the upper end portion of the housing being provided with an outlet for products of combustion, and means for collecting and vaporizing condensation supported on the inner surface of said perimetric side wall, said means comprising a perimetric trough positioned in said housing in a horizontal plane spaced above but adjacent to said burner and in contact with the inner surface of said perimetric side wall whereby condensation collecting on the side wall above the trough may gravitate into the latter, a condensation receiving and vaporizing cup provided substantially at the center of said perirnetric trough and disposed above said burner whereby condensation in said cup may be vaporized by the burner and discharged through said outlet with products of combustion, and a set of channels extending from and communicating with both the formerand the latter whereby condensation collected in the trough may be delivered into thecug, j 9 9 t 2 The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said channels constitute sole, meansfor supporting said cup, a a e a bu ner-v 3. The. combination as defined in claim 1 together with inward r-otuherances provided on the inner surface of said side wall, said trough resting on said protuberances andbei s ppq tsd the eb in said hqusis 14 Thecombinati m as defined. in la m. 1 he ei said channels are open at the top thereof and slope inwardly from said trough to said cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,103 Younger et a1 Apr 14, 1914 1,933,902 (301011 Nov. 7, 1933 1,983,294 n l-1161mm 1 w 1934 2,2 5,023 Watt Dec. 171940 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,080 Great Brita n 189s 

1. IN A HEATER, THE COMBINATION OF A HOUSING DEFINING A HEATING CHAMBER AND INCLUDING A PERIMETRIC SIDE WALL AND UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, A BURNER POSITIONED CENTRALLY IN THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID HOUSING, THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE HOUSING BEING PROVIDED WITH AN AIR INLET FOR SAID BURNER AND THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE HOUSING BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET FOR PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION, AND MEANS FOR COLLECTING AND VAPORIZING CONDENSATION SUPPORTED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID PERIMETRIC SIDE WALL, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A PERIMETRIC TROUGH POSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE SPACED ABOVE BUT ADJACENT TO SAID BURNER AND IN CONTACT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID PERIMETRIC SIDE WALL WHEREBY CONDENSATION COLLECTING ON THE SIDE WALL ABOVE THE TROUGH MAY GRAVITATE INTO THE LATTER, A CONDENSATION RECEIVING AND VAPORIZING CUP PROVIDED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE CENTER OF SAID PERIMETRIC TROUGH AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BURNER WHEREBY CONDENSATION IN SAID CUP MAY BE VAPORIZED BY THE BURNER AND DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID OUTLET WITH PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION, AND A SET OF CHANNELS EXTENDING FROM PERIMETRICALLY SPACED POINTS ON SAID TROUGH TO SAID CUP AND COMMUNICATING WITH BOTH THE FORMER AND THE LATTER WHEREBY CONDENSATION COLLECTED IN THE TROUGH MAY BE DELIVERED INTO THE CUP. 